‘Faxed’ request for Saulat Mirza’s fresh death warrants rejected

Karachi
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday refused to accept the Mach jail administration’s request, sent through fax, to fix an execution date for death row prisoner Saulat Mirza. The court observed that it would only entertain a letter sent in writing.
The application was sent following the expiration of the one month stay issued by the President of Pakistan considering Mirza’s ill health.
The ATC concerned had previously fixed March 19 as his execution date which was stayed following a video - of Mirza accusing Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) leadership including its chief of having committed serious crimes - was leaked; later April 1 was fixed for his execution.
Mirza was awarded death sentence in 1999, for the murder of then Karachi Electric Supply Company Managing Director Shahid Hamid, his driver Ashraf Brohi and his guard, Khan Akber in 1997; petitions challenging the sentence were rejected by the Sindh High Court and the Supreme Court.
A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) visited him in jail to probe in the allegations made by him.
According to reliable sources the execution would possibly be put off for another 90 days, by the federal government whereas chances of a reinvestigation of the case were also high.